Combined fertilizer-distributer and cultivator.



' No. 897,456. PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1909.

E. M. COLE.

COMBINED FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER AND CULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.10, 1908.

2 SHEETS-BHEET 1.

No. 897,456. PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1908.

I E. M. VYGOLE. COMBINED FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER AND GULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

EUGENE MACON COLE, OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

COMBINED FERTILIZER-DISTRTBUTER AND GULTIVATOR.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1, 1908.

Application filed March 10, 1908. Serial No. 420,220.

1 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LEUGENE MAooN COLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Charlotte, in the county of Mecklenburg and State of NorthCarolina, have invented a new and useful Combined Fertilizer Distributerand Cultivator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fertilizer distributers and cultivators, andhas for its object to provide a new and improved fertilizer distributerand cultivator combined in one ma-. chine.

The invention covers an improved distributer for guano or othercommercial fertilizer, which is also adapted to be used as a cultivatorfor any crop, either putting out fertilizer at the same time or not, asdesired, one object being to provide a better means of sowing thefertilizer in large or small quantities and at a uniform rate.

Another object is to provide means for sowing fertilizer in a furrow orelsewhere, and at the same time thoroughly mixing the fertilizer withthe soil and covering it.

Another object is to provide a machine for applying fertilizer to agrowing crop and at t e same time mixing the fertilizer with the I soiland cultivating the crop efiectually at one and the same 0 eration.

Another object is to provide a machine which will distribute thefertilizer over a broad space rather than in a compact stream and in onenarrow furrow.

. The invention consists in a combined fertilizer distributor andcultivator, and in the details thereof as'herein set forth and claimed.

Referring to theaccompanying drawings,

a in which similar numerals indicate like parts,

Figure I is a side view of a machine constructed in accordance with thisinvention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailview of the operatin lever and its support. Fig. 4 is an enlarge detailview of a portion of the operating lever mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detailview of a portion of the fertilizer distributing mechanism. Fig. 6 is aview in elevation of a ortion of the casing removed, showing part y insection the apparatus for distributing the fertilizer. Fig. 7 is a planview thereof. Fig. 8 is a-plan view looking from the under side of aportion of the frame of the machine showing the mechanism for operatingthe distributer. Fig. 9 is a detail View, partly in section, of anagitating device. Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are detail views in transversesection of modifications of the fertilizer distributing plate.

In carrying out the invention, a frame is provided, consisting of twobars 1,1 connected at their forward ends by a block 2 secured by bolts 3having mounted upon said block and held by one of the bolts 3 a link 4.The rear end of the side bars 1, 1 are connected and held together bytwo parallel strips or bars 5 secured to the bars 1, l and held togetherby bolts 6. Between these bars 5 are mounted a number of cultivatorteeth 7. Mounted upon the side bars 1 are diagonal arms 8 held togetherat their upper ends by a rod 8 and terminating in handles 9 fordirecting the machine.

10 is a supporting wheel for the forward end of the machine, said wheelbeing mounted on shafts .11, 11- having their bearings in the side bars1.

12 is the distributing hopper which may be formed ofsheet metal and ismounted by means of brackets 12 on the side bars 1, -1. Within thehopper 12 adjacent to its lower end is mounted a funnel 13 havingtapering sides 14, and a flange or depending mouth 14. The funnel 14,whichis of ring shape, is secured to the hopper -12 by means of pins 15which project through holes 16 in the side of the ho per. The funnel 14may he slipped into p ace by pushing it down at an angle, and as thesides of the hopper 12 are flexible they will yield so as to push thefunnel 14 into place and permit the pins 15 to engage the holes 16 in te hopper.

Encircling the flange 14' of the funnel 14 and being a-little largerincircumference than the flange 14 in order that it may rotate freelyabout it, is a ring 17' of a w1dth somewhat greater than the flange 14'and depending below the lower end of thesame. The ring 17 is adjustablymounted in the flange 14 by means of inclined slots 17 engaging pins 18mounted on the sldes of the flange 14. The ring 17 is rotated by meansof a handle 19 rojecting radially therefrom. By rotating tle ring 17 toand fro, it is caused to be raised and lowered by means of itsconnection with the slots 17 and pins 18.

Adjacent to the handle 19 1s mounted on the frame supporting the hopper,a circular bar 20 having a scale and upon said bar 20 is mounted abracket and set screw 22 carry ing a depending marker or pin 23 adaptedto move over the indicator or s'caleon the bar 20. The bracket 22 is ian arm 24 whichengages t e handle 19 whereby when the handle 19 ismoved, the

pin 23 will be moved over the scale on the cross bar 27 supported by thearms 1.

, through a hole in one end of a The mechanism for operatingthe disk isas follows:'Mounte,d"on the shaft 11 ofthe wheel 10 and secured theretoto turn therewith, is a bevel gear wheel 28 inclosed a casing 29 mountedon the. said 'bar 1, said gear wheel 28 meshing with a bevel pinion 30on the end of a shaft 31 bearing at one end in a bracket 32 on the sidebar 1, and hearing at the other end in a socket 33 mounted on alever'arm-34 pivoted at one end to the cross bar 27 and pivoted at itsother end to the lower hook end of a rod'35 see Fig. 4, passing oted ina bracket 35- and having its outer end bearing on a nut 36 on the rod35, and on said rod 35 is mounted a coiled spring 36 lo,- cated betweenthe end of lever 35' and a nut andwasher .36 on the u per end of the rod35. The other end of tliie lever 35 is ing through a keeper 3: andterminating in a handle 37" which may be locked in adjusted position byengaging a sto or catch 37 on the keeper, by means of w 'ch the'leverarm 34 is operated. Upon the shaft 31 adjacent to one end is a bevelpinion 37 engagin a bevel gear 38 on the under side of thB dJSk- 25. Bymeans ofthis gear mechanism here'- inbefore described, the movement ofthe wheel 10 causes the disk 25 to be rotated.

v Mounted onthe inner face of the flange '14 is a scraper 39 secured tosaid flangeby means of a connection 40 and having its lower scraping end41 adjacent to the top of the disk 25, whereby the Zfertilizer may bescraped off and kept from sticking to the disk 25.. Upon the top ofthedisk'25 and a little eccentric thereto, is'mounted a stirring oragitating arm 42 connected to the disk25 by a ball and socket joint 43.

The 0 erating mechanism hereinbefore' describe is thrown into andout ofgear by' the lever mechanism operated by the handle By pushing thehandle 37." forward,

37". the lever 34 and shaft 31 are lowered,'.and

the bevel pinion37 i s disengaged fromthe gear 38 on disk 25, therebycausm the latter to cease to revolve.

By pulling t e lever 37 back, the lever 34'is raised, bringing thepinion'37 into mesh with the 'gear38 on.

.. disk 25. The spring 36' serves to provide a 37 with gear.38, so thatwhen theinion 37 a y is moved up tov gear 38 and theyonot-imcushioningor yielding engagement of pinion rovided with ver 35piv-' r0 vided with a leverarm 37 see Fig 3 pro ectthe hopper.

mediately' engagathe spi'ing 36 will act to pull them into enga ement.,

'-- The operation of t e device is as follower- I The fertilizer isplaced in the ho per 12 to be carried down thr'ou h the funne 13 ontothe disk 25,1and the dis 25 being rotated by the movement; of the wheel10 communicated ring 17. By adjusting the valve ring 17 to a raised orlowered position, the amount of fertilizer passing between the disk 25'and the lower edge of the valve ring 17 will be reguk lated. In therotation of the disk '25, the

scraper-39 by means of its lower end 41, keeps the surface of the disk25 hom gummin up with the damp sticking parts of the ferti izer. Theagitating arm 42 is swung in the ball and socket joint 43 by themovement of the disk .25 and being somewhat oif the center, will have aswinging movement to prevent the fertilizer from choking or bridgmg overthe opening in the hopper 13. The fertilizer is fed out over the edge ofthe disk 25 by centrifugal force and the mass of fertilizer resting onthe central ortion of said disk further aids inthe disc ar e through thecircular o ening below the vaIvering l7, and s reads .t e fertilizeron'the ground in a 'broa diameter of the disk 25. Y

This construction ermits of the free movement of the fert' 1zer andavoidsgumwing and clog ing up around the bottom of he advantage of thisconstruction lies in ha the disk beneath the hopper instead of insideof-it, vand accomplishing the feedingilby centrifugal force aide by theweight of t e central mass on the disk, thereby avoiding the use of agate that may gum up and choke, and secure the uniform flow andscattering of the fertilizer over a s ace as wide at least-as thediameter'of the disk In lieu ofthe disk 25 other forms may be used, asshown inFigs. 10, 11 and 12. In

Fig-10 the disk 44 maybe employed of the same diameter as the bottom 0the ring 17. This form is adapted to sow very lar e quantities. In Fig.11, disk 45 is provi ed with an upwardly inclined flange 46 outside ofthe ring 17. This form is adapted to sow small quantities. tlcal turnedup flange 48 outside of the lower end of the ring 17. In lieuof the ring17 being raised or lowered, the ring 17 may be stream, as 'wide as orwider than the In Fig. 12 the disk 47 has a ver- 4 fixed, and the disk25 raised and lowered to and from the ring, or instead of the movablering, the hspper itself may be raised andlowered'tof' an from thedisk-,'the same'result bging'accomplished as in the case of a mova eWhat is claimed is 1. 111 afertilizer distributor, a hopper,alsorevoluble discharge disk arranged below the bottom of the ho per andof a diameter greater than the ischarge openin of the hopper, and avertically adjustab e valve ring carried by the. hopper and movable toadjust the vertical hei ht of the passage between the disk and the loweredge of the ring.

2. In a fertilizer distributer, a-hopper having a funnel shaped bottomterminating in a flanged discharge neck, a valve rin mounted on the neckand provided with a p urality of inclined slots, pins rojectingfrom theneck and adapted to said slots, the ring being circumferontiallyad'ustable to alter the quanprovided with a plurality of inclined slotsfor thereception of said pin, a revoluble discharge disk arranged belowand of greater diameter than the rin a discharge finger carried by theneck and loosely resting on the disk at a point near the peripherythereof,

and an agitating finger carried by said disk. 4. In a fertilizerdistributer, a hopper havmg a funnel shaped bottom terminating in adischarge neck, a plurality of pins extending from the neck, acircumferentially adjustable valve ring having slots for the receptionof said pin, a revoluble discharge disk located below the ring, and aloosely mounted agitate in finger supported by the disk and having aball and socket connection therewith at a point distant from the centerof said disk.

5. In a machine of the class described, a wheeled frame, a bevel gearcarried by the wheel, a hopper having a funnel shaped bottom terminatingin a discharge neck, a valve ring carried by the neck and adjustable tovary the quantity of fertilizer dischar ed, a discharge disk mountedbelow the neo and having a bevel gear on its lower face, a shaft, a pairof pinions mounted thereon and forming a driving connection between thetwo bevel gears; a pivotally mounted lever having a bearing for one endof the shaft, and an adjusting means connected to said lever for raisingand lowering the same and thus connecting and disconnecting the train ofgearmy own, I. have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence. of twowitnesses.

EUGENE MACON COLE. Witnesses:

A. M. PITMAN, J. H. ALLEN.

ing. n testimony that I claim the foregoing as

